This invention relates to new and useful improvements in novelty items, and is designed primarily to entertain and to stimulate the imagination of the viewer.
Prior art known to applicant includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,914 which shows an enclosure with a lid which opens allowing a hand to deposit a coin within the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,670,568 shows eyes for a doll which move mechanically and is exemplary of many such mechanical actions for the movement of dolls eyes.
The present invention is designed to provide an enclosure having a lid or cover hinged to the rear side of the enclosure which opens at random intervals, exposing a planar display screen upon which appear a pair of simulated eyes and these eyes move from side to side or up and down for a predetermined time as if viewing the room, after which the lid snaps shut.
The opening and closing intervals are random within predetermined limits and the simulated eye movements may be set by the operator from a preset plurality of movements programmed into the controlled unit. The device utilized current integrated circuit technology well known to those skilled in the electronics field.
One aspect of the invention is to provide an enclosure, and a cover component hinged by one side thereof to the rear side of said enclosure, a source of electrical power in said enclosure, and an electronic control unit within said enclosure operatively connected selectively to said source of electrical power, a display screen in said enclosure for displaying images thereon, and being operatively connected to said control unit, said display unit being situated adjacent the front side of said enclosure and extending into said cover component when same is in the closed position but being visible form the front of said enclosure when said cover component is in the open position, said images comprising a pair of spaced apart illuminated circles simulating a pair of eyes, and moveable across said screen in a predetermined pattern selected by said control unit, and means operatively connected to said control unit to open and close said cover component.
Another advantage of the invention is the snapping action caused when the lid snaps shut thus drawing the attention of the occupants of the room to the fact that the device has operated and raising anticipation as to when the next "viewing" may take place.
The device may be battery or direct power operated and means are provided to switch the device off and on and also to control, within limits, in a random fashion, the timing of the opening and closing of the lid and hence the operation of the device.
A further advantage of the invention is to provide device which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited to the purpose of which is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: